Book carton



June 4, 1968 5. cAsslDY 3,386,641

BOOK CARTON Filed March 13, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BENJAMINCASSIDY ATTORINEYS June 4, 1968 B. CASSIDY 3,386,641

BOOK CARTON Filed March 13, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BENJAMINCASSIDY ATTOR NE YS United States Patent Oihce Patented June 4, 19683,386,641 BOOK CARTON Benjamin Cassidy, Waldwick, N.J., assignor toFederal Carton Corporation, North Berger, N.J., a corporation of NewYork Filed Mar. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 622,607 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-34)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present application discloses a cartonmade from a blank of fiberboard and constructed with cornerreinforcement so as to substantially increase the resistance to crushingand destruction under impact and thus protect items such as books duringshipment thereof.

The present application discloses a structure which is an improvement onthat of my prior application, Ser. No. 458,119, now Patent Number3,331,548 issued July 18, 1967, assigned to the assignee of thisapplication.

As indicated above, the present invention is directed to the provisionof a carton especially for shipping of books and the like, which cartonis formed of fibrous material such as fiberboard from a single blank andwhich carton is adapted to be folded into an intermediate form forshipping of the carton to its point of use, adapted to be readilyerected by high-speed machinery, and adapted to be readily filled andclosed likewise by high-speed machinery.

The prior art has evolved a considerable number of constructions ofcartons intended for the purpose mentioned above, but none of thesecartons has been both sufliciently strong to completely solve theproblem while at the same time being capable of being formed and foldedas well as erected and filled on high-speed mechanisms.

The invention consists particularly in the combination of parts whichform a carton, which when erected has tubular side Walls, which tubularside walls are joined to the end Walls in such a manner that therectangular tubular side walls are held rigidly in position at rightangles to the base and have extensions at the ends thereof which overliethe corners of the book or other contents to thereby form rigid wallswhich withstand impact and prevent injury of the corners of thecontained article.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cartonspecifically adapted to the shipment of books and like articles which isformed of a single blank of fiberboard adapted to be readily erected andwhen erected to have corner reinforcements as well as rectangulartubular side Walls held rigidly in place to thereby insure that impactwill. be resisted and the contents protected during shipment.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a fiberboardcarton which is readily folded into an intermediate form on high-speedmachinery, erected by highspeed machinery and filled and closed also bysuch highspeed machinery.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a fiberboardcarton in which rigidity is imparted to the side wall structures byvirtue of gusseted reinforcements which join the end walls to portionsof the tubular side walls.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent whenthe following description is considered in connection with the annexeddrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank for the box of my invention,showing particularly the shape of the blank as well as the location ofscore lines thereon.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the mode of folding onequarter of the symmetrical blank into condition for shipment of theblank to the point of use.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the blank in the processof erection.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 3 showing it in aslightly advanced stage of the erection procedure.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the portion of the box shown inFIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the erection procedure having proceeded to a somewhatmore advanced stage.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the box portion of FIG. when theclosing thereof has been completed, and;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 7-7of FIG. 6 illustrating the position of the parts when the box is fullyerected and closed. For the sake of clarity, no contents have been shownalthough of course such contents would have been inserted before closureof the box.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the box blank consists of a base 10 which haspanels joined thereto at all. four sides thereof, these panels beingseparated from one another by means of score lines designated as S, thescore lines generally appearing in pairs.

At the left-hand side, base 10 has adjacent thereto the panel 20 whichwhen the box is finally folded will form one of the side walls thereof.Adjacent panel 20 and separated therefrom by the score lines S is apanel 21 which when the box is fully folded will form part of the coverof the box. In like manner, at the right-hand side of base 10 are theside panel 30 and cover panel 31, which are also integral with theblank, the panels being defined by score lines S.

At the top of base panel 10 as seen in FIG. 1, are four panels 40, 41,42 and 43, which panels, when the carton is erected, form the four sidesof a rectangular tubular end wall. Similarly, at the bottom of the basepanel 10 are the four panels 50, 51, 52 and 53 which form the oppositetubular end Wall.

The cover panels 21 and 31 have extensions 23a, 23b, 33a, and 3312,respectively, which extensions are folded back over and glued to therespective panels 21 and 31 to form reinforcements for these panels.

Side panels 20 and 30 and end wall panels and have respective unitaryextensions 60, 61, 62 and 63. These unitary extensions are formed ofside panel extensions designated 22a, 22b and 32a, 32112, which areseparated from the extensions 23 and 33 by cuts along the linesdesignated C and end wall panel extensions 40a, 40b and 50a, 50b,respectively.

In like manner, end wall panels 42, 43 and 52, 53 are provided withunitary extensions 64, 65, 66 and 67. These unitary extensions aredivided by score lines into portions 42a, 43a, 43a; 42b, 43b, 43b; 52a,53a, 53a and 52b, 53b, 53b, respectively.

As seen in FIG. 2, the box blank of FIG. 1 is folded into anintermediate form for shipment to the point of use. During the foldingof the blank of FIG. 1 to the form of FIG. 2, the face surface ofextensions 23a and 23b of panel 21 and the face of extensions 33a and33b of panel 31 are coated with glue. Also, the undersurface of panels43 and 53 are coated with glue, as is the undersurface of each of theportions 43a, 43b, 53a and 53b of unitary extensions 64, 65,, 66 and 67.Folding is then effected so that the outer edges of panels 43 and 53 liealong the iner edges of panes 40 and 50, respectively. Also, the outeredges of portions 43a, 43b, 53a and 53b lie along the upper and loweredges of panels 21 and 31, respectively.

In FIG. 2, only the elements appearing in the lower left-hand corner ofFIG. 1 are illustrated since the box blank and box are symmetrical andtherefore this showing fully discloses the construction.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be observed that this figure shows aportion of the box of FIG. 2 when that box has been partially erected.More particularly, it shows the condition when the end wall portionshave been moved into a position in which they are in a rectangulartubular formation with the panels 50 and 52 extending at right angles tothe base 10.

As the tubular end walls are erected to the condition shown in FIG. 3,the unitary extensions 62 and 66 (comprising respectively portions 50a,22b, and 53a, 53a, 52a) are also erected so they extend at right anglesto the panel, it being observed that extension 53a is fixed to panel 20.

As the erection proceeds further as illustrated in FIG. 4 andparticularly as side panel 20 becomes slightly inclined, the extension62 and 66 break along the score lines 5, the portions 50a and 52apivoting about their points of connection with panels 50 and 52 while atthe same time the portions 22b and 53a pivot about their connection withpanel 20 and portion 531:.

As the side wall is further raised, this pivoting action continues asdoes the folding along the score lines joining the respective portionsof the extensions 64 and 65, until the box is fully erected and theportions 50a, 22b and 52a, 53a lie adjacent each other and the foldtherebetween is at substantially a 180 angle.

Either at this time or prior thereto, a book or like object may beplaced within the box with the spine preferably lying along one of theside wall panels 20, 30. The cover extensions 21 and 31 are then foldedover to lie flat against the upper panel 41, 51 of the tubular endwalls. The cover extensions may be glued in place or may be caused tolie in their flat position by virtue of a tape extending from one to theother along the mating edges.

As will be realized when the drawings are considered, particularly FIGS.4 through 7, any inward pressure against the vertical members such as 50and 52 of the tubular end walls will be resisted not only by theinherent strength of the tubular structure, but in addition and moreimportantly, by the folded unitary extensions or tabs 62 and 66 which,since they are fastened to the panel 20, resist any inward pressurebrought upon the side walls 50 and 52 and cause those walls to remain intheir intended vertical position.

In some instances it may be desirable to simplify the structure byomitting the outer unitary extensions or tabs such as 62 and replacingthem with simpler rectangular members or extensions which are joined toside panel 20 and free of panel 50 and overlie the extension such as53a. Although this slightly diminishes the strength of the box in thatthe means for resisting inward pressure on the side wall 50 is no longerprovided, this diminution is not as great as might be expected, sincewhen the wall 52 is held in its erect vertical position, it inherentlyholds the wall 51 in a like position, that is, since two sides of therectangle are maintained in a fixed position the other two sides have agreater tendency to likewise stay in fixed positions. As indicatedhowever, in the preferred form, both the tabs 62 and 66 are provided andthus yield an extremely rigid structure which 4 in addition to therigidity mentioned, also provides by virtue of the tabs 62, protectionfor the corners of a book or other like object fitted within the box.

It is of course understood that the construction at the other threecorners includes like unitary extensions 60, 64; 61, 6S and 63, 67,which serve to provide rigidity of structure at the remaining threecorners of the box.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it willbe understood that modifications such as the one discussed above andothers may be made without departing from the novel concept; I thereforewish to be limited not by the above specification, which was givensolely for the purpose of description, but 'on the contrary, solely bythe claims granted to me.

What is claimed is:

1. A container of the type described, comprising a rectangular enclosureof fibrous material having parallel top and bottom walls, rectangulartubular end walls placed at an opposite pair of edges of said bottomwall, a pair of planar side walls at the remaining pair of edges of saidbottom wall overlapping the ends of said tubular walls, and asubstantially unitary extension of each end of at least one side of eachsaid rectangular tubular end walls, and a substantially unitaryextension of said unitary extensions being folded to lie against saidplanar walls at the ends of said rectangular tubular walls to therebysupport said sides of said tubular Walls and resist impact and pressurethereupon.

2. In the combination of claim 1, a substantially unitary extension ateach end of each of the sides of each said tubular end wall.

3. In the combination of claim 2, extensions at each end of each saidplanar side wall, said extensions being folded back against said planarwalls and fixed thereto, said extensions overlying the ends of saidtubular side walls.

4. In the combination of claim 1, said substantially unitary extensionscomprising a first portion extending outwardly from the base of thecorresponding tubular end wall and fixed to the adjacent planar wall, asecond portion joined to said first portion along a fold line, saidfirst and second portions lying along said planar wall, and a thirdportion joined to said first portion along a fold line and joined to theinner side of said rectangular tubular wall along the fold line, saidthird portion overlying said second portion, said second and thirdportions extending inwardly from said side of rectangular tubular wall.

5. In the combination of claim 1, said substantially unitary extensionscomprising, a first portion fixed to the outer side of said rectangulartubular end wall along a fold line and lying adjacent said planar walland a second portion joined to said first portion along a fold line andto the end of said planar side wall along a second fold line.

6. In the combination of claim 2, one of said substantially unitaryextensions comprising, a first portion extending outwardly from the baseof the corresponding tubular end wall and fixed to the adjacent planarwall, a second portion joined to said first portion along a fold line,said first and second portions lying along said planar wall, a thirdportion joined to said first portion along a fold line and joined to theinner side of said rectangular tubular wall along a fold line, saidthird portion overlying said second portion, said second and thirdportions extending inwardly from said side of said tubular wall, and thesecond of said substantially unitary extensions comprising a firstportion fixed to the outer side of said rectangular tubular end wallalong a fold line and lying against said planar wall, and a secondportion joined to said first portion along a fold line and to the end ofsaid planar side wall along a second fold line.

7. In the combination of claim 4., the fold line between said first andsecond extension portions extending perpendicular to the containerbottom wall, the fold line between said second and third portionsextending at a 45 angle to the container bottom wall and the fold linebetween said third portion and said inner side of the rectangular endwall extending perpendicular to the container bottom wall adjacent saidfirst fold line.

8. In the container of claim 5, the fold line between said first portionand said outer side of said tubular end wall, extending perpendicular tosaid container bottom wall, the fold line between first and secondportions extending at a 45 angle to said container bottom and to topwalls, and said fold line between said cover and said second portionextending perpendicular to said container bottom wall adjacent saidfirst fold line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Beach 22940 XR Frankenstein.

Clarke.

Defeo.

Plunkett 229-4O XR Rous 22940 XR Cassidy 229-40 DAVIS T. MOORHEAD,Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,386,641 June 4, 1968 Benjamin Cassidy It is certified that errorappears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

:Column 3, line 8, "iner" should read inner Column 4, line 24, "walls,and a substantially unitary extension of" sgoul d read wall, and of theadjacent planar side wall,

{Signed and sealed this 16th day of December 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

